Scattered to
common nearly throughout the state, but uncommon or absent from northern
portions of the Glaciated Plains Division (eastern U.S. west to Minnesota and
Texas; Canada). Glades, upland prairies, savannas, and openings of mesic to dry
upland forests; also old fields, railroads, roadsides, and open, disturbed
areas.

The species
epithet has been spelled copallina in some of the botanical literature,
but the original spelling that Linnaeus used should be retained. Steyermark
(1963) noted that Missouri plants fall into var. latifolia, which has
fewer but broader leaflets, as opposed to the leaves of var. copallinum,
which have mostly 11–23 leaflets that are only 1–2 cm wide. There is broad
intergradation between these varieties and among the other named variants
within this species.